Beneath Us is a photographic and sonic installation, produced by the collaboration of Radha Chaddah and Dan Bédard. The subject matter is the hidden realms that exist at a scale invisible to us. Chaddah removed tiny specs of wax from the bottom of a beehive, coated them in gold and photographed them using a scanning electron microscope that can see 180,000 times life size. Bédard created the sonic score by morphing traditional instrument sounds with bee sounds and then filtering this blend through Chaddah’s photographs using software that brings out hidden resonances. Beneath Us is titled to reflect the difference between the perception and reality of our place in nature. Humans largely behave as though all other creatures are beneath us in a hierarchy of life. In reality, humans rely on bees for our survival. Bees are a supportive foundation beneath us. This work symbolizes the invisibility of non-human narratives, the essential interrelatedness and interdependency of living things, and the beauty and fragility of these relationships.

Beneath Us

Where: Only One Gallery, 5 Brock Avenue, Toronto, ON

When: May 16th-29th

Opening Reception: May 16th, 7-11PM

CONTACT 2019 showcases an outstanding selection of Canadian and international lens-based artists. The Festival’s Core Exhibitions are comprised of collaborations with major museums, galleries, and artist-run centres as well as site-specific public art projects. These are cultivated through partnerships and commissions, and frame the cultural, social, and political events of our times. The Featured and Open Call Exhibitions present a range of works by local and international artists at leading galleries and alternative spaces across the city. The Festival also includes a wide range of Programs including a book fair, a symposium, lectures, talks, panels, and workshops. CONTACT exhibitions and programs are free and open to the public, with some exceptions at major museums.

view the full festival schedule here